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Druid
Druids are agents of nature, using the forces of the wild to adventure. Changes The Druid underwent some pretty significant changes. We wanted to give them a more natural, primal theme, as if being a druid was not just something learned but also something in your blood. The powers have a more natural, physical origin, tracing back to an innate connection with the wild and those who inhabit it, instead of a learned trade passed on from druid to druid. *'Spells:' We changed a druid to a spontaneous caster, like a sorcerer, and changed their key ability from Wisdom to Charisma. There are also some significant changes to the druid's spell list (changes described on that page) which make the Druid a little more interesting. Much like the old Warmage from 3.5, we made all spells known for druids. The reason for this was that we felt that most druids were memorizing the same spells, those few that made an impact in combat, and all of the interesting spells that characterize a druid but do not hold sway on the battlefield were being overlooked, even if they were useful in fringe cases. By opening it up, a druid can cast whatever spell is correct for the time, allowing for some of the less used spells to hopefully come forth. *'Wild Shape:' Wild Shape has always needed work, as evidenced by the massive polymorph errata that came down a year or two ago. We discussed for awhile what sort of effect we wanted to make it. The two main choices were to continue as a spell-based effect that could be applied to any animal (thus eliminating a lot of work on our part, but allowed for loop-holes), or to go with a pre-defined list of forms that were clearly ordered (making lots of work but balancing the wild shape very well). We decided that given our limited time, we needed one blanket list of rules to define the ability. We concluded that the problem inherent to polymorph was that there were certain monsters that were unbalanced in relation to their hit dice, and that correcting these few loop-hole monsters (ie. troglodytes, hags, and tendriculos) would do much to solve our problem. Given the small scale of our rules set, we can handle them on a case by case basis. *'Fey Transformation:' As part of our throwback to nature, we decided on the druid eventually transforming into a fey creature at the end of its career, giving some interesting benefits. Class Features *'Bonus Language:' All druids know Druidic, a secret language which they learn upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn’t take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to non-druids. Druidic has its own alphabet. *'Spells:' A druid casts divine spells, which are drawn from the druid spell list. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful spells, below. A druid casts spells spontaneously, like a sorcerer, except that she does not have a list of spells known. All spells on the druid's spell list are considered spells known. To cast a spell, the druid must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid’s Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, a druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table below. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score. *'Animal Companion (Ex):' A druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the Category 1 Animal Companion list (see below). This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind. A 1st-level druid’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a druid advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table, ascending the categories. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished. A higher level druid may select from a higher category of Animal Companion, as indicated on the table. A higher category animal treats its own category as category 1, and thus is not as advanced as a lower category creature. For example, if at 6th level, a druid decides to select a Category 3 animal companion, that animal considers category 3 and the first category, and gains special abilities of that level. When the druid advances to level 9 and gains access to Category 4 creatures, his Category 3 creatures could advance to the next level of abilities (category 2). Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion’s kind, but make the following changes. **''Class Level:'' The character’s druid level. The druid’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion’s abilities and the alternative lists available to the character. **''Bonus HD:'' Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice. **''Natural Armor Adj.:'' The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion’s existing natural armor bonus. **''Str/Dex Adj.:'' Add this value to the animal companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores. **''Bonus Tricks:'' The value given in this column is the total number of "bonus" tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the druid might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The druid selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed. **''Link (Ex):'' A druid can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion. **''Share Spells (Ex):'' At the druid’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the druid before the duration expires. Additionally, the druid may cast a spell with a target of "You" on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A druid and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal). **''Evasion (Ex):'' If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw. **''Devotion (Ex):'' An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects. **''Multiattack:'' An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty. **''Fast Movement (Ex):'' A druid's animal companion gains a +10 ft. enhancement bonus to all its normal movement modes (but not any movement modes added by virtue of magic or other effects). **''Improved Evasion (Ex):'' When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails. **''Improved Natural Attack (Ex):'' A druid's animal companion treats all of its natural attack damage dice as one size bigger (a d6, for example, becomes a d8, etc.). *'Orisons:' A druid knows a small number of minor magical abilities. At first level, he may select three orisons which he can cast at will. These orisons can be chosen from any orison found on the druid spell list. A druid's caster level is equal to his druid level, and save DCs are equal to 10 + spell level + the druid's Charisma modifier. At every odd level after 1st (3rd, 5th, 7th), a druid may select one additional orison to add to his list of available orisons. *'Nature Sense (Ex):' A druid gains a +2 class bonus to Handle Animal and Knowledge (nature) checks. *'Wild Empathy (Ex):' A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20 and adds his druid level and his Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time. The druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a -4 penalty on the check. *'Woodland Stride (Ex):' Starting at 2nd level, a druid may ignore movement penalties of difficult terrain caused by a natural environment, such as thick underbrush, slippery ice, or shallow bogs. Any such effect caused by magic impedes him normally, and he is not immune to effects which require skill checks or saving throws in order to bypass, only movement penalties. This ability also affects a druid's animal companion. *'Trackless Step (Ex):' Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired. This ability also affects the Druid's animal companion. In addition, if travelling in a group, a druid can negate the bonus to track checks caused by higher numbers as if there were a number of people equal to the Druid's level less than there actually are. For example, a level 4 druid travelling in a group of 6 other people counts as only three people instead of seven. This cannot reduce the amount of people tracked to less than one. *'Resist Nature's Lure (Ex):' Starting at 4th level, a druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like abilities of fey. *'Wild Shape (Su):' At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into a different creature and back again once per day. The druid can change into any Small or Medium sized animal. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Each time you use wild shape, you regain a number of hit points equal to your level. At every odd level afterwards, the druid gains one additional use of his wild shape per day. Thus at 7th level she can use it twice per day, three times at 9th, and so on. Any gear worn or carried by the druid melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the druid reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the druid's feet when she transforms back. A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.) A druid in Wild Shape loses all natural weapons, natural armour bonus and movement modes of its original form, as well as any extraordinary special attacks not derived from class levels. While in Wild Shape, a druid is effectively camouflaged as a member of the species and gains a +20 to any Bluff check made to disguise or conceal his original form. This ability otherwise functions as the Alternate Form special ability. At higher levels, a druid can expand upon the list of creatures she can transform into. At 8th level, she can assume Large forms. At 11th level, she can assume Tiny forms. At 13th level, she can assume Plant forms, and at 14th level she can assume Huge forms. Lastly, at 17th level, a druid can add Elemental forms to her list. *'Tongue of the Wild (Ex):' At 6th level, a druid gains the ability to speak with any natural animal as if using the speak with animals spell. Animals modified by a template that changes its type cannot be spoken to. *'Venom Immunity (Ex):' At 10th level, a druid becomes immune to all poisons. *'A Thousand Faces (Su):' At 12th level, a druid gains the ability to change her appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell, but only while in her normal form. This affects the druid’s body but not her possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the druid’s appearance, within the limits described for the spell. *'Nature's Shield (Ex):' At 16th level, a druid begins to transform into a natural creature. She gains Damage Reduction 5/cold iron. *'Timeless Body (Ex):' After attaining 18th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue as normal. In addition, a druid can no longer die of old age. *'Fey Transformation': At 20th level, a druid fully melds with nature. Her type changes to Fey. She gains low-light vision if she doesn't already have it. In addition, she gains immunity to any charm or compulsion effect. Finally, a druid may add his Charisma bonus (if any) to her AC as a Deflection bonus. Animal Companions ; 1st level or higher * Baboon * Badger * Barracuda * Binturong * Camel * Caribou * Dire rat * Dog * Dog (riding) * Donkey * Eagle * Eel * Hawk * Horse (heavy) * Horse (light) * Hyena * Monkey * Octopus * Otter * Owl * Pony * Porpoise * Seal * Shark (medium) * Turtle (snapping) * Serval * Squid * Stingray * Viper snake (medium) * Wolf ; 3rd level or higher (level -2) * Ape * Badger (dire) * Bat (dire) * Bear (black) * Boar * Cheetah * Constrictor snake * Crocodile * Eel (dire) * Leopard * Lizard (monitor) * Lynx * Mule * Ray (manta) * Shark (large) * Toad (dire) * Viper snake (large) * Weasel (dire) * Wolverine ; 6th level or higher (level -5) * Ape (dire) * Barracuda (dire) * Bear (brown) * Bison * Boar (dire) * Lion * Rhinoceros * Tiger * Viper snake (large) * Wolf (dire) * Wolverine (dire) ; 9th level or higher (level -8) * Bear (polar) * Constrictor snake (giant) * Crocodile (giant) * Hippopotamus * Lion (dire) * Shark (huge) * Turtle (giant) * Whale (orca) ; 12th level or higher (level -11) * Bear (dire) * Elephant * Elk (dire) * Octopus (giant) * Smilodon * Whale (baleen) * Whale (cachalot) ; 15th level or higher (level -14) * Mastodon * Rhinoceros (dire) * Shark (dire) * Sloth (dire) * Squid (giant) * Tiger (dire) * Turtle (dire) ; 18th level or higher (level -17) * Bear (dire polar) * Elephant (dire) * Hippopotamus (dire) * Mastodon (dire) Category:Classes